The new Eastfield House GP surgery planned near Newbury College has hit a blocker.
The NHS says it might not to be able to afford it.
Artist’s impressions of the proposed new Eastfield House Surgery scheme, credit: Osmond Tricks
And the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire (BOB) Integrated Care Board has written to West Berkshire to tell them so.
“In our latest formal response to the surgery, the BOB-ICB has clearly set out that rental valuation of any new build should be approved internally by the BOB-ICB, as we need to take into account whether the new rent is affordable to the NHS,” wrote Julie Dandridge, the head of primary care infrastructure.
“The rental value will also need to be considered and agreed by the district valuer.
Artist’s impressions of the proposed new Eastfield House Surgery scheme, credit: Osmond Tricks
“The surgery is therefore proceeding at their own risk and the BOB-ICB is not obliged in any way to fund any revenue implications of a subsequent build, even if the surgery manage to secure a planning consent.”
The plans for the primary care centre, next to Highwood Copse School, come up before council planners on Wednesday next week and are recommended for approval by council officers.
The surgery is currently located within a purpose built two-storey building on St John’s Road to the south of the town centre.
While the location is convenient relative to the town centre, parking is limited and many of the rooms are undersized, outdated and no longer in compliance with current NHS guidance and therefore not fit for purpose.
The proposals have also met with concern from Greenham Parish Council, which says it would be difficult to reach by foot and public transport would need to be more accessible.
Artist’s impressions of the proposed new Eastfield House Surgery scheme, credit: Osmond Tricks
“It was considered that moving a surgery away from the Newbury town centre will create more vehicles on roads to reach this proposed new site,” it says. “This is not in accordance with WBC Climate Emergency Plan.”
Members of the public have also written in supporting the ‘much needed’ facility.
“…My wife and I are long-standing patients of the existing Eastfield House Surgery, we consider it vital that this excellent proposed relocation be approved,” said Derek Brattle.
“Without this redevelopment the available health services to the town will diminish considerably.
Impression of new surgery
“With the proposed increased housing numbers south of Newbury, the current restricted practice facilities will be unable to accommodate any additional patients without relocation and building expansion.“
The catchment boundary of the new surgery will remain unchanged with the proposed new surgery site.
The catchment area for the new Eastfield House surgery remains the same
The building plans show as two wings of clinical space around a central courtyard with a staff only link at the back and a large waiting area.
Justifying the rationale for the new surgery, the developers say Eastfield House Surgery’s patient list has increased by approximately 19 per cent since 2014.
“If we apply the same level of growth over the next six years, the patient list size is expected to increase to c17,000 by 2027, circa 18,500 by 2030 and 20,000 by 2033,” they say.
“However, this does not take into account the change in number of residential units locally, which is significantly different to the historical situation.”
In the NHS business case submitted in 2021, the data included approximately 3,000 new residential dwellings with full planning permission due to come forward in Newbury.
This will generate around 7,000 additional patients in the short-term.
There are an additional 94 approved projects with less than 10 dwellings.
This does not include the Eagle Quarter development, the Sandleford development (1,000 dwellings/2,400 potential patients); the proposed development in Wash Water (Basingstoke and Dean but patients likely to register in Newbury) and 100 new houses on land owned by Newbury College.
In addition there are two new proposed nursing homes and a hospice on the college land.
It is likely all these patients will be registered at a new surgery due to premises constraints in other local practices.
The patient list size is being estimated at around 18,500-20,000 patients by 2033.